


Song of Your Heart

by Quagswagging



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Artists, Concerts, Falling In Love, Heartbreak, Honey the Pug, Inspired by Music, M/M, Musicians, Slow Burn, idk - Freeform, ish?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-11-19
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:41:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27262150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quagswagging/pseuds/Quagswagging
Summary: Max often writes songs about love but can hardly remember what it truly feels to love someone.Until a white-sneakered, sheep-loving, wide-smiling indie singer comes into his life.His name? Dan Joseph.
Relationships: Alexander Albon/Pierre Gasly, Charles Leclerc/Lando Norris, Daniel Ricciardo/Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton/George Russell
Comments: 42
Kudos: 99





	1. I just want to be someone, well doesn't everyone?

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I'm so very excited that you want to read this story jsjs. I had a blast writing it and I cant wait to continue. I've finished the first 3 chapters already, and still hard and work with the remaining few. I plan to post this every Thursday as it gives me time to write other stuff as well. 
> 
> The songs used in this can be a little obscure (as per my own music taste hshs) but a playlist will be linked in my tumblr, as well as a list of the song names and artist if you cannot use Spotify.
> 
> Just a heads up, this whole chapter is basically a lot of background info, not a lot to do with Dan yet (but that will come ofcourse)
> 
> I really hope you will all enjoy it! This is probably one of my fav works so far and I'm very excited to share it with you <3
> 
> On my tumblr, you can also find aesthetics per character to give you more of an idea of what they are like. They were made by the amazing hedgehogfrog (soft-f1-butches on tumblr), who also proofread this chapter. All the love to them <3<3

Max took a deep breath, staring at himself in the small mirror in the dressing room. He heard the crowd yelling for him already and smiled lightly, letting out a shaky breath. He had never gotten over his pre-show nerves, not even after 3 solid years of travelling the world and giving concerts. And giving a concert in Amsterdam, in his home country in front of probably some of his first fans?

Max was shaking.

"Are you ready, Max?" Sebastian, Max's manager asked. Max nodded, putting in the earpiece and turning towards Sebastian, who gave him a warm, fatherly smile and hugged him tightly.

"I'm so proud of you." Sebastian muttered, as he always did before a concert. Max closed his eyes, smiling softly and curling his left hand in the fabric of Seb’s shirt.

“You’re going to rock this, Max.” Seb said as he pulled away, fixing Max’s loose white shirt a little before nodding, satisfied. The routine of it all calmed Max right down, and he felt the tight knots in his stomach slowly ease away

“Dance first, then High Hopes, yeah?” Max clarified, not used to the changes in the setlist. Sebastian nodded. 

“Exactly. Break a leg.” he winked, before urging Max out of the tiny dressing room and towards the stage. Max smiled weakly at the technician handing him a microphone. He heard the crowds cheer and the band starting to play the intro of their first song, the music pounding through Max’s whole being. When the lights went dark, Max knew it was time.

Max closed his eyes, smiled, and jogged onto the stage, the darkness hiding him a moment longer. 

_’One two, one two three four!’_ Max yelled, running up to the front and smiling at the guitar he was handed. He winked at Alex, his guitarist, who seemed as excited as he felt.

 _’Good morning silence…’_ Max started to sing, instantly grinning when he heard the crowds start to sing with him.

17.000 people in the hall, and all here for him. 

Max made sure to sing his heart out for them, jumping around excitedly and making use of the large walkway leading him further into the crowds during the songs he did not need his guitar. 

“Thank you so much for coming out here tonight!” Max spoke after the first three songs, sitting down on the edge of the stage and just taking a moment to look out into the crowd, grinning widely. “I actually have quite the treat for you tonight, a new, never heard before song.” he explained, taking a sip of water before hopping up again, waving his arms around to get the crowds to cheer more.

“It’s called _Say Amen_ ” Max explained, nodding at the cheers he got. 

Clearly at least some of his fans had seen the small teaser on his social media. 

The band started the intro and Max took a deep breath, just praying he remembered the new lyrics. 

_’I pray for the wicked on the weekend, momma can I get another amen!’_ Max sang, his heart swelling when he saw people already singing along with him. He turned, moving closer to the band, first dancing with Alex before running up to the drummer, Pierre, and jumping up on the little platform. Pierre flashed him a small smile as he continued to play, the beat of the drums piercing through Max’s body.

This was what he loved doing, what he lived for.

He wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Good job, bro, this one was amazing!” Pierre grinned once they were off stage, the drummer wiping his hair out of his face and patting Max’s shoulder. Max grinned back just as excitedly, wiping at his face with a towel and gratefully accepting the bottles of water Alex handed out. 

“Can’t believe it was sold out tonight.” Max remarked, falling down on the sofa in the corner of the room. Alex hummed, a thoughtful look on his face as always.

“The vibe of the room was amazing too, I loved it. Let’s just only play here from now on.” he hummed. Pierre huffed and pushed Alex’s side teasingly. 

“And cancel the 14 upcoming concerts? Not going to happen man, I really want to go to Australia.” Pierre answered, pressing a cold bottle of water into the crook of Alex’s neck. The fingers of Pierre's free hand tapped rhythmically against his thigh, the movement seeming completely unconscious. Max had stopped being bothered by the dull sounds a long time ago, now being comforted by what he considered his friend’s happy noises. Alex didn’t seem bothered either and smiled at the Frenchman, loosely slinging an arm around his shoulders to allow him closer. Max watched them with an amused smile, trying to get his heartbeat down to a normal level again in the meantime. 

Sebastian walked into the little room and smiled, fondly ruffling Max’s messy hair.

“Well done kid.” he said, the pride shining bright in his eyes. Max grinned up at him, sucking up all the praise. If it hadn’t been for Seb, he wouldn’t be here now, but instead he would be black out drunk in a ditch somewhere while he still only played in front of tiny pubs.

He owed everything to Seb.

He knew many other artists weren’t so lucky when it came to managers, and Max made sure Sebastian knew how much he was appreciated. 

“Go back to the hotel, get an early night’s sleep, the guys and I will make sure everything is taken down here.” Max told Sebastian, Alex and Pierre nodding along with him. 

“That’s what I’m supposed to tell you.” Sebastian chuckled in amusement, but then nodded. “Thanks Max.” he mumbled more softly, leaning in to kiss Max’s temple before reaching out to bump his fist about Pierre’s and Alex’s. 

“Night Seb.” Pierre smiled, fingers already tapping against his leg again.

“Don’t go to bed too late tonight boys, we have a long day in the studio tomorrow. 8AM for Max, a little later for the others.” Sebastian told them sternly.

“Yes dad.” Max snorted, earning a glare from the German in answer. 

Once Sebastian had left, Alex turned to Max with a grin.

“We’re going out, right? An old university friend of mine is in the city today.” he said. Max nodded.

“Yeah of course, I need to treat you to a round of drinks.” Max told them, Alex cheering while Pierre instantly jumped up to get his coat. 

“Amsterdam get ready, Maximilian and the gang are coming!” Alex cheered as they headed out the back of the venue.

After taking a metro they eventually ended up in a little, calm pub, the three of them drinking beer and talking quietly. 

“If I was still working for Leclerc, we would be doing shots and dancing right now.” Pierre said offhandedly, sipping his beer and handing Max and Alex some playing cards. Max raised an eyebrow.

“You miss working for that jerk?” Max huffed, Pierre sighed.

“We both know he isn’t really like that.” he retorded sharply, his fingers halting from where they had been tapping against the wooden table. Max sighed and slunk back into his seat, while Alex placed his hand over Pierre’s, calming him down.

“Let’s not fight tonight.” The Thai said. “I’ll get the next round of beers.” he added promptly, getting up and practically jogging over to the bar. Pierre eyed Max a little hesitantly, seeming ready for more confrontation, but Max just sighed.

“Sorry.” he muttered. The tension left Pierre’s shoulders and his fingers instantly started tapping against the table again.

“It’s okay.” Pierre answered, smiling kindly until distracted by Alex, who came back with more drinks. They clicked their glasses together and drank, Max dreamily glancing out the window, to the people braving the dark, rainy streets outside. 

“Max, we have something to tell you.” Pierre suddenly piped up, a nervous look on his face as his fingers tapped against Alex’s wrist. Max eyed them curiously, the look his two friends shared not being one he recognised. 

“What is it?” he asked slowly, fearing the two would just get up and leave the band.

But for what? Sure Max could be a bit of a dick occasionally, but compared to Leclerc, he was a freaking angel.

Right? 

“Pierre and I… We-” Alex muttered slowly, shooting Pierre a helpless look. Pierre bit his lip but then nodded.

“We’re dating.” the Frenchman finished, a giddy smile on his lips as he turned to smile at Alex. Max stared at them, lips pursed slightly, but the grinned widely, leaning over the table to hug them both close.

"I knew it." He laughed, feeling his friends chuckle against his shoulders.

"So you don't mind?" Pierre asked when they parted, the Frenchman cautiously reaching out to take Alex’s hand in his, squeezing his palm lightly. Max hummed, taking a sip of his drink and then shaking his head.

“I’m really happy.” he said solemnly. And he meant it.

They had more drinks, Max paying for them this time as he really wanted his friends to understand he was happy for them. 

Just as Max wanted to head back to his hotel room, a tall, lanky young man entered the pub, grinning widely when he spotted Alex.

“Alebono!” the man grinned, coming up to the table to hug Alex, before leaning in to kiss Pierre’s cheek. The man seemed familiar to Max, but he couldn’t quite place him. 

Until the man’s phones rang.

Yes, phones. Multiple.

“Silver Arrow Management, this is George Russell speaking.” the man said, his face schooling into a serious expression as he picked up the first, then the second. Max’s lips twitched up into a smile.

He remembered George now.

And he also remembered who George was always with.

“Lewis.” Max grinned, getting up to greet the other man, who entered the bar a little later than George.

“Hey Maxy.” Lewis smiled fondly, before leaning in to greet Alex and Pierre too.

“How’s the new album getting along?” Max asked as Lewis sat down, George meanwhile still alternating between the two phones. Lewis was a rapper Max had worked with a few times in the past, and even though they didn’t run into each other often it was always great to see the Brit again. Lewis just had that calm, gentle nature that Max wished he had himself and he had learned a lot working with the older man.

“Not too shabby, I have good inspiration.” Lewis smiled, sitting down next to George and placing a hand on the man’s knee. George’s professional mask faltered momentarily as he grinned giddily at Lewis, before he returned to the phone conversations.

“I told George to leave the phones in the hotel.” Alex said in amusement. “Kinda hard talking to him when he’s already having two conversations at the same time.” he added a bit louder, so George turned to look at him.

“I can hear you perfectly fine, Alex.” George huffed, the two phones pressed against his shoulders for a moment to block the speakers. Still, he finished the calls quickly and dropped the phones back into his bag with a sheepish smile. Lewis wrapped an arm around him, pulling him into a gentle kiss and Max felt a pang of hurt in his stomach.

It seemed that everyone was finding love but him nowadays.

~~~~

“Hey little girl.” Max cooed when he opened the door to his hotel room. Honey, his little black pug and arguably his best friend in the world, whined and jumped up against him, licking his hands and wagging her tiny tail. Max smiled, lifting her onto the bed and falling on his back next to her. 

He was tired. As much as he loved his friends, seeing everyone so happy and in love made his own heart clench uncomfortably.

Honey settled into his side, her head resting on Max’s ribs as she sighed deeply, her big brown eyes focused solely on her human. Max gently stroked the little dog’s head, staring up at the ceiling.

“I feel alone, I want what they have.” Max whispered. Honey whined a little and licked his hand, climbing more onto his stomach. “Remember the song I sang to you last week?” Max asked Honey softly, gently tugging the little pup’s ear.

 _’I don’t want to die or fade away. I just want to be someone, I just want to be someone.’_ Max sang softly, using the lyrics of the song he had been working on for a while now. He wasn’t ready to share it with anyone, not even with Sebastian. It was much more touchy-feely than his usual songs, and Max wasn’t sure how people would react to it. 

He couldn’t bear having people reject the song so close to his heart. 

“ _Dive and disappear without a trace. I just wanna be someone. Well, doesn't everyone?_ Max continued to sing softly, drawing Honey fully onto his chest and pressing a kiss to the pug’s nose. Honey didn’t seem to understand him, but seemed happy enough with her human’s attention.

“At least I have you, little princess.” Max sighed, letting Honey lick his cheek. "Did the dog sitter take good care of you today?" Max added softly, cooing at his dog. Honey barked her high pitched bark, wagging her tail again and licking Max's nose. Max chuckled, sitting up and setting Honey on the bed next to him. He checked the time, noting it was already past 2AM, and groaned. Sebastian expected him in the studio at 8AM, and Max knew better than to arrive late.

He just hoped the coffee machine wouldn’t be broken again.

~~~~~~

“Max!” an excited voice called out when Max entered the little studio building. Max let out a hum, still tiredly wiping at his eyes as he pulled his hoodie further over his head. As he turned, someone already bumped into him, a pair of arms wrapping around his waist.

“Lando?” Max gasped out softly. His friend looked up with a giddy grin plastered on his face, nodding excitedly. Max now smiled too, hugging Lando close to his chest. Lando was a starting singer-songwriter who worked with Max often. The little Brit was one of the only ones not affected by Max’s grumpy nature when it came to songwriting and the two had become great friends over the years. Now that Lando worked on his own singing career a bit more they didn’t see each other as often anymore, but Max was so glad to have Lando with him today.

“Are you here to write with me?” Max asked. Lando nodded, hoisting his guitar bag further onto his shoulder.

“Seb invited me, I have a concert here tonight as well so it worked out well.” Lando beamed. Max raised his eyebrows.

“Concert? Where?” he asked. 

“Paradiso, only 250 people or so but it’s a good start.” Lando answered, his cheeks flushing a little in embarrassment. Max tutted and flicked Lando’s nose, not liking the reaction.

“250 is great! Can I come to the concert?” he asked, meanwhile dragging Lando over to the right studio as he didn’t want Seb to give them his best disappointed look when they arrived late. 

Those diappointed looks hurt.

“If you want.” Lando muttered, nervously biting his bottom lip. Max ruffled the man’s curly hair.

“I’d love to. Really.” he promised, while Lando straightened his dark rimmed glasses. 

“Okay, that’s settled then.” he smiled. Max was just about to answer when the door opposite their own studio opened, a young man with unruly brown hair held back by a bandana leaning against the doorway. He was dressed in impossibly tight black jeans and a red tank top so loose and open it barely covered anything.

“Verstappen.” the man purred, taking a swig of the drink in his crystal glass. Max narrowed his eyes.

“Leclerc.” he mumbled in answer, his hold around Lando’s shoulders tightening a little. Charles Leclerc, who used the stage name RUSH!, was a bit of an ass and the bane of Max’s existence. The pop singer had once been one of Max’s close friends and the sole reason Max had gotten to know Pierre, but the friendship had ended abruptly, due to multiple reasons.

Now there was nothing but bad blood left between them.

“Is this the guy who writes for you?” Charles asked before Max could move away, the Monégasque curiously looking at Lando, who tried to hide behind Max. Charles stepped closer when Max only let out a huf in answer, the messy haired man cocking his head to the side as he regarded Lando, waiting for him to answer the question instead.

“Yeah, I write for Max.” Lando muttered with a shy smile. Charles hummed, something soft and tender flickering over his face for a moment before his lips curled up into a sly smile.

“Well, if you ever want to work for a real artist, send me a message, yeah?” Charles purred, handing Lando a business card before raising his eyebrows at Max, rolling his eyes and heading back inside his studio, the door closing with a soft thud behind him.

“What a dick.” Max huffed, squeezing Lando’s shoulder before leading him towards the right studio door. 

Inside, Sebastian was already waiting impatiently for them, but when he noticed the gold business card in Lando’s hand, he just sighed and rolled his eyes.

“I’ll make sure we won’t have to share a studio building with him again.” he said before Max could start one of his usual rants.

“Thanks.” Max muttered, falling down on one of the little sofas. Lando sat down next to him, opening his guitar case as Sebastian sat down opposite him.

“You want to work on the same song as last time?” Sebastian asked Max. Max shrugged, biting his lip.

“There is… there is another song.” he muttered. Sebastian cocked his head to the side.

“Another song?” he asked. Max nodded, fidgeting anxiously with a loose thread on his sweater. 

“It’s a bit sad though. Probably doesn’t fit the new album.” he muttered. “Besides, I only wrote down a few verses, not even a chorus yet.” he added. Sebastian hummed.

“Must be a special song. I’ve never seen you like this.” he spoke eventually, seeming to choose his words carefully. Max sighed.

“It’s stupid, let’s just continue with the other song.” he muttered. Lando shook his head.

“I want to hear the song.” Lando said with a determined frown on his face. Max sighed when the younger man resolutely shoved his guitar into Max’s hands. Max sighed, placing the instrument on his knee and gently running his fingers over the strings. 

_‘I don't want to die or fade away. I just want to be someone, I just want to be someone. Dive and disappear without a trance. I just want to be someone, well doesn’t everyone? And if you feel the great dividing, I wanna be the one you're guiding, 'cause I believe that you could lead the way._ Max sang softly, before his fingers hesitated on the strings, more words suddenly filling his head as he started playing again. _’I just want to be somebody to someone, oh. I wanna be somebody to someone, oh. I never had nobody and no road home, I wanna be somebody to someone…’_ he trailed off, his fingers halting on the guitar.

“You know, it’s not wrong to bring out stuff that’s outside your comfort zone.” Sebastian said gently when Max kept his eyes lowered, unsure what to do. “You’re the artist, you make the decisions. And I, for one, think this can become a great song.” he finished, reaching out to touch Max’s knee. Max flinched lightly at the touch, but looked up.

“I suppose.” he said hoarsely. Lando reached for him as well now.

“Max… Not everyone will hurt you the way Kevin did, it wouldn’t be wrong to try again with someone.” he whispered. Max huffed.

“We’re writing songs, Lando, not psychoanalyzing me.” he muttered. Lando sighed and rolled his eyes, exchanging a glance with Sebastian before shrugging up his shoulders. “Good thing heartbreak leads to good songs. Now, are we going to work on Stressed out?” he asked. 

Max nodded.

He didn’t want to think about Kevin right now.

~~~~~~

“Are you nervous?” Max asked Lando, glancing past the curtain to see the room had filled up nicely with people. Lando shrugged a little, but he was nervously biting at the string of his hoodie.

“I didn’t expect it to be full tonight.” Lando muttered, taking in a shaky breath.

“You’ll be fine.” Max promised, helpfully straightening Lando’s glasses a little. Lando sighed and nodded, before sharply turning to Max.

“I forgot to ask you…” he muttered, seeming upset. Max clutched at Lando’s shoulder, casting a concerned look in his direction.

“Forgot to ask me what?” he asked. 

“It’s stupid.” Lando said, shaking his head, but Max wouldn’t let him pull away.

“Ask me.” he said, forcing Lando to look at him. The smaller man sighed.

“Will you sing 'All I want' with me? On stage tonight?” he asked. Max blinked in surprise, but then grinned.

“I’d love to.” he replied, before Lando could take it back. 

“Okay, good.” Lando muttered, too anxious about the performance to ask Max another 7 times like he usually would. Max patted the back of Lando’s shoulder.

“Just get out there, have fun.” he smiled, giving Lando a gentle shove in the direction of the stage while hiding off to the side himself. 

Lando greeted the audience a bit awkwardly, but the moment he started playing, a calmness seemed to wash over, one strong enough to even settle the audience into complete silence. Lando sat at the piano, playing without hesitation and without any mistakes, head bobbing along as his fingers moved swiftly along keys. He drew in a breath and started to sing, and Max instantly felt goosebumps along his arms and chest. 

Lando’s voice never failed to surprise him. 

Max knew the song Lando sang well, well enough to mouth along with the words. Sometimes he thought it was unfair. Lando deserved all the fame and recognition Max got, he was just too good to be stuck in these small halls.

 _‘I don't know if I'm flying, don't know if I'm falling, don't know if I'm- burning up, burning up, burning up like Icarus, like Icarus.’_ Lando sang, his strong voice echoing through the room. Max closed his eyes for a moment, just letting the music wash over him.

Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to write a song outside of his comfort zone himself.

Max kept to his spot while Lando sang, the young man occasionally talking to the crowd as well in between songs. The fans seemed to adore him, all laughing with him as Lando explained the crazy background stories to his music, while settling back into silence again as Lando began to sing. 

Max hadn’t even realised Lando was almost done until he heard his friend say his say.

“... Max - well you probably know him as Maximilian - is here with me tonight, and I asked him to join me for a song.” Lando explained. “And he agreed.” he added with a beaming smile. Max chuckled and accepted his guitar from the technician, walking onto the little stage and giving a small wave in direction of the audience.

“Hi guys.” he smiled, sitting down on a small stool across from Lando. He rested his forearms on top of his guitar.

“What are we going to sing though?” Max asked through his microphone, as if they hadn’t discussed it just before the show. 

“I thought maybe ‘Can’t Feel My Face’ from RUSH! ?” Lando teased innocently. Max huffed.

“I’d rather not.” he chuckled. Lando rolled his eyes, but then shrugged up his shoulder.

“Fine. ‘All I want’ then?” he asked. Max nodded.

“Much better. I was fearing for your taste in music there, mate.” he chuckled. Lando stuck out his tongue, moving his fingers on the keys again. Max knew he was getting ready, the cheeky smile leaving Lando’s face and being replaced by a concentrated frown. Max took a deep breath, and started playing, giving Lando a small smile. 

_’All I want is nothing more, to hear you knocking at my door…’_ Lando started to sing, his hands still clasped in front of him. He slowly placed his fingers on the keys, starting to play as Max joined to quietly sing with him.

 _’-But if you loved me, why did you leave me? Take my body, take my body. All I want is, and all I need is, to find somebody. I’ll find somebody…’_ they sang together. 

Max loved singing with Lando. They just fit together, their voices merging to form a beautiful tune. Lando looked at him across the piano, his eyes ablaze with passion and Max loved how much Lando loved singing. 

Max’s fingers almost slipped on the strings of his guitar as he suddenly got an idea, but quickly gathered himself again, continuing to sing. Lando seemed to notice his slight hesitation but couldn’t do anything about it except for frowning lightly at him. Max shot him a look which hopefully said ‘we’ll talk about it later’ and Lando seemed to understand, giving him a small nod before belting out another note.

After the performance, when Max was driving Lando back to the hotel, the younger man suddenly turned to him.

“What happened on stage?” he asked. Max hummed, swerving the car through the narrow Amsterdam streets and breaking for yet another girl on a cycle with a death wish passed in front of them.

“I suddenly came to a conclusion.” he said, shrugging up his shoulder. Lando narrowed his eyes.

“What conclusion?” he asked slowly. Max grinned, glancing at Lando before focussing back on the road,

“That I want you to join me during the tour in Australia.”


	2. What a wicked game you play, to make me feel this way

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little less focused on the music but I liked it more than the last one if that makes sense hehe
> 
> I'll link another playlist on tumblr with the songs used in this!
> 
> I really hope you all enjoy this, I very much enjoy writing this verse :3
> 
> Once more thank you to Monti for Beta reading 🥺🥺

“I feel like a ghost.” Pierre muttered, snuggling into Alex’s side and sighing, pulling his eye mask down over his face. The plane was full, it was cold and noisy, and it didn’t help that the plane ride was a little over 21 hours. Max was seated on the other row in between Lando and Seb, and refrained from bitching about the empty chair Pierre and Alex had next to them, even though they had allowed the carrier bag with Honey to be placed at their feet for a bit when Max’s legs had cramped up. 

Lando was fast asleep and drooling on Max’s shoulder, headphones firm on his head, but Max hadn’t slept a wink so far. Sebastian had taken a few naps but had been hard at work besides that, but Max barely could concentrate on the movies he could watch.

God plane rides were useless.

“Listen to this.” Lando muttered suddenly, taking his headphones off and sleepily pushing them at Max’s face. Max put them on, before wrapping his arm around Lando so the younger man could sleep more comfortable against his side. There was soft music playing on the headphones, and Max hummed as a man’s voice started to sing.

_‘Take everything you know and write it on your skin, and you can carry on and forget everything. Take everything you own and put it in your car, you can drive away, drive away so far-’_

Max listened to the song without even daring to move a muscle, the man’s voice somehow soothing him while at the same time making something in his stomach stir. The next few songs seemed to be by the same singer and Max was surprised, knowing Lando normally listened to a mixed playlist. 

“Who is this singer?” Max asked Lando the moment the younger man stirred awake.

“You don’t know him?” Lando yawned, rubbing at his eyes and sleepily nuzzling into his hoodie. Max shook his head, reluctantly pushing one side of the headphones away from his ear. 

“No, should I?” he asked. Lando shrugged up a shoulder. 

“He’s a big deal in Australia, I thought you’d have done your research before we left.” Lando teased. Max huffed.

“Who is he?” he asked again, getting more impatient.

“Dan Joseph.” Lando said. “I’ve been following him for a while now, he’s really good.” he added, pulling out his phone and selecting another song for him to listen to.

“Dan Joseph.” Max muttered to himself, resting his head back as he continued to listen. He missed Lando sharing a look with Alex and Pierre, but did see Sebastian making a note of the name on his laptop. 

“Don’t immediately start arranging a collab.” Max snorted. Sebastian just smiled at him.

“Just let your manager do the managing.” Seb told him, ruffling Max’s hair and making the young man grumble a little.

“I’m going to sit next to Alex and Pierre now.” he huffed, but when he turned to look over he saw Pierre had sprawled out over the empty chair as well, legs curled a little as he pressed his face in Alex’s sweater. Alex was gently stroking his hair, pressing a soft kiss to Piere’s temple as the Frenchman sniffled in his sleep.

“Sorry, mate. The seat is taken.” Alex chuckled. Max grumbled something and sulked back down in his seat, Lando’s headphones firmly placed over his ears once more. 

_Dan Joseph_

He wasn’t going to forget that name any time soon.

~~~~~~

“Good girl.” Max smiled as Honey happily toddled along with him, the pug seeming not the least bit impressed at having just flown halfway across the world to Melbourne with her owner. The little dog barked and sniffed at some grass, before quickly following after Max as the man continued on to the hotel. Max lifted Honey up as he entered the hotel, keeping her under his arm as he headed through the lobby and towards the elevators. 

The elevator just left when Max arrived and Max sighed, pushing the button impatiently as he waited for the next. Honey wiggled around in his arms a little, licking Max’s cheek. Max pulled a face and smiled sheepishly at the man who came up to wait next to him, who smiled in amusement.

“She’s cute.” The man spoke up, holding out his hand to let Honey sniff at his fingers. The pug barked happily and instantly licked the stranger’s hand, making him laugh. Max curiously looked up at the man, noting the messy curly hair and beaming white smile. The stranger seemed very out of place in the chique hotel, dressed in ripped jeans and white converse and a loose button up shirt with a print so bright Max felt like he needed sunglasses.

“What’s her name?” the stranger asked, and Max blushed lightly when he realised he had been staring.

“Honey. Her name is Honey.” Max said with a small smile. The stranger’s lopsided grin widened even more - Max hadn’t thought that to be possible - and he cooed softly at Honey, who was whining in excitement and tried to wiggle out of Max’s arms. 

“Honey. The name suits her.” The man smiled, just as the elevator doors opened. Max followed into the small space after the stranger, pushing a button to his floor and noting the stranger was only 1 floor higher. They stood in silence, the stranger humming under his breath and mindlessly tapping his fingers against his thigh while Max focussed on Honey. When the elevator reached his floor, Max shot the stranger a small smile, holding Honey more securely as he stepped out of the small space.

“Have a nice day.” He muttered. The stranger grinned again.

“You too.” He said with a wink.

Max didn’t realise he had been holding his breath until the elevator doors closed. He shook his head and set Honey back on the floor, the dog padding along next to him to the suite they were staying at. 

“Hey Lando.” Max smiled as he entered the suite, nodding at his friend as he took off Honey’s leash. The younger man didn’t seem to hear him, head bobbing along to music playing on his headphones as he looked at something on his laptop. Max frowned lightly, tiptoeing closer and carefully taking Lando’s phone off the bed, to take a look as to what he was listening to.

“RUSH!?? You’re listening to Leclerc??” Max huffed out. Lando flinced heavily, almost falling off the bed. He turned to look at Max, his eyes wide.

“He has some good songs.” he muttered sheepishly, snatching his phone back and patting at the screen a little to turn the music off. Max just scoffed and shook his head, his top lip pulled up in disgust.

“He is a stealing, unoriginal leech.” Max snapped. Lando huffed and sat up.

“I know he is a bit of a dick but-” he tried. Max shook his head,

“He isn’t just a bit of a dick, he is an arrogant asshole who just takes what he wants.” Max said angrily. Honey whined and scurried away when Max dropped her leash, hiding between the suitcases in the corner of the room. Lando’s frown fell a little, and he turned concerned, reaching out for Max but winching as his hands were slapped away.

“Charles took him from me.” Max whispered. “Kevin left me for Charles, leaving me all alone. You can’t trust him, Lando, you’re better off forgetting about him.” Max added, anxiously wiping at his face. Lando swallowed thickly, scooting over to sit on the edge of the bed.

“Why did you never tell me? You told me about Kevin but you always said you just drifted apart.” Lando whispered. Max still stood with his fists clenched at his sides, breathing heavily.

“It was humiliating.” Max gasped out. “I never told anyone. I thought I would never have to tell you because you’d trust me about not trusting Charles.” he added more sharply. Lando stood up now, reaching for Max again but his friend still wouldn’t let him close.

“I thought I could trust _you_.” Max whispered. Lando bit his lip, cheeks flushed red.

“Max, you fell out with Charles years ago…” Lando whispered. “Maybe you should let-”

“Don’t finish that sentence.” Max let out shakily. “If you finish that sentence you can fly back tomorrow because then I don’t want you on my tour anymore.” he added more sharply. Lando’s eyes widened, the blue orbs filled with tears. 

“Max, I’m sorry.” The young man tried to apologise, but Max wouldn’t hear it, turning on his heel.

“Honey!” he called as he stormed out into the hall. The little pug whined, walking over to Lando and letting the man pat her lightly before she took the end of the leash in her mouth, wobbling along to where her owner was waiting impatiently.

Max picked the little dog up, holding her securely in his arms and anxiously patting at the little dogs head.

Lando let Max leave even though he was itching to help him. When Max was like this, there was no way to reason with him, Lando knew that better than anyone else.

~~~~~~

Max had found his way into a small pub, sitting at the bar with Honey on the barstool next to his own. He drank whiskey on the rocks, angrily ignoring his phone. He hadn’t ever wanted to talk about what had happened again - not about Charles and not about Kevin. It was a black page in his life and he had tried to move past it but it was too hard. He missed Kevin, missed having someone to sleep next to, to spend time with. 

Perhaps he missed the love and companionship more than he missed Kevin as a person, but Max had never really been with anyone else, had barely ever even had flings after Kevin had left him.

He knew he had to let go, but Max was stuck, and seeing his best friend push aside his feelings hurt. He thought he could count on Lando, who Max had considered his best friend for a few years now. Max had told Lando again and again that Charles was bad, that Charles couldn’t be trusted, but apparently Lando hadn’t believed him. 

“Another one?” the barman, a pretty tall blonde who reminded Max of Kevin a little, asked with a kind smile. Max nodded, pushing his glass forward for more whiskey, eyes falling on the nametag on the barman’s shirt.

“Thank you, Marcus.” He said with a small smile, taking a sip of the drink. Marcus smiled at him, winking before moving on to the other side of the bar to help another customer. Max watched him quietly, the man’s soft smile and slight hint really reminding him of Kevin.

Sweet, wonderful Kevin.

Who had fallen for Charles’s advances. 

Max pushed the tears brimming in his eyes away and took a deep breath, taking another sip from his drink. It had been some time since he had allowed himself to think about Kevin, the memories still fresh and painful even after many years. 

He had gotten together with Kevin when he was just 16 and the Dane was 18. It was good for the longest time, Max had had a rocky childhood and Kevin had been the steady and kind presence he had so needed in his life. Kevin showed him it was okay to be vulnerable, showed him it was okay to trust people.

And then he had let Max down in the most horrible way possible.

Max supposed they had already been drifting apart when it had happened. He loved Kevin, and knew Kevin loved him, but Max had found fame when he had just turned 18 and it was that fame that had pushed them apart. Kevin loved a more private life, maintaining his little garage and living in their little house in a tiny village in England. But Max had to travel the world, had to perform wherever he was asked to in order for his career to develop the way he wanted, and they had drifted apart as a consequence. 

Kevin still went on tour with Max whenever the Dutchman asked, but it was clear the older man was uncomfortable and out of place, even though he was also very proud of Max. The Dane would always watch the concerts from backstage, together with Sebastian, and Max enjoyed having him close.

But on a studio day, when Max had been stuck in meeting with Seb all day, Kevin had ran into Charles.

When Max went to look for his boyfriend a while later, he found Kevin in Charles’s studio, both men with their shirts off as they laid on the small sofa, kissing deeply. They had both been tipsy, but it was no excuse. 

That day, Max had lost not only a boyfriend in Kevin, but he had also lost a friend in Charles. 

“Hey, are you okay?” Max hadn’t realised the barman had returned, until he felt a gentle hand press over his. He looked up and smiled weakly.

“I’m okay.” He said, before suddenly drawing in a deep breath as a lyric for a song popped into his head. “Do you have a pen and something to write on?” he asked Marcus in a rush. The barman blinked at the sudden change in demeanor but handed him the pen from his breast pocket, as well as a few napkins. 

“I’m afraid I don’t have a notepad.” he said with a sheepish smile.

“It’s okay.” Max muttered, already writing the first lines down. 

“A poem?” Marcus asked, trying to read the text upside down. Max blushed lightly.

“A song.” he corrected, peeking up through his lashes for a moment to take in the barman’s expression. Marcus’s brow was slightly furrowed in concentration, his lips mouthing along with the words. Max turned the napkin so Marcus could read it more easily and Marcus hummed.

“It sounds like a sad song.” he remarked, looking up at Max. Max shrugged. 

“I suppose…” he muttered a little awkwardly, patting the pen against the bar. Marcus pushed the napkin back.

“That’s not a bad thing, I just hope you’re okay.” Marcus said kindly. Max relaxed a little more, nodding as he sighed deeply.

“I am. I’ve gotten over it.” he muttered. Marcus nodded, his hand brushing over Max's again. 

"Could you sing it for me? In exchange for another drink?" Marcus asked curiously. Max hesitated. Normally he didn't sing for strangers, unless he was on stage. But the alcohol had made his beliefs less strict and the barman's blue eyes made him feel at home. 

Max nodded and drew in a breath.

 _'The world was on fire and no one could save me but you. It's strange what desire will make foolish people do. I never dreamed that I'd love somebody like you. And I never dreamed that I'd lose somebody like you'_ Max sang softly, eyes trained on the napkin. When he trailed off, he dared to look up again, and found Marcus staring at him, listening closely to his every word. 

“You have a beautiful voice.” Marcus whispered, smiling a little awkwardly afterwards and straightening up. “I owe you a drink now.” he added, turning to take the bottle of whiskey and filling Max’s glass once more.

“Thank you.” Max smiled, and their eyes lingered on each other for a moment. Then Marcus was being called away to the other side of the venue and Max sighed, slumping down.

Why did every hint of affection only make him feel more lonely?

Honey whined on her chair next to Max and Max lifted her onto the floor, letting the pup drink from the little bowl of water. His trusty furry friend looked up with him and Max thought to see a hint of concern in her big brown eyes.

“It’s okay baby.” Max muttered, reaching into his pocket and getting out a dog biscuit for her. Honey whined softly, but her tail was wagging as she ate the snack, and Max knew he had bought her patience for a little while longer.

Marcus didn’t return anymore, much to Max’s disappointment, and another much older waiter now continuously filled Max’s glass with whiskey, and Max just tried desperately to drown his sorrows. He knew he was getting drunk, he knew he was just better off going back to the hotel, but he couldn’t face Lando.

Max knew he had overreacted, had been unfairly harsh to Lando, and he just so hoped Lando hadn’t actually gone up and left. He couldn’t bear losing his best friend.

It must have already been past 2AM when a gentle hand came to rest on his shoulder, helping him sit up straighter from where he was slouched over the bar.

“Marcus?” Max slurred, blinking heavily and turning around. Sebastian sighed, gently stroking his cheek. He didn’t even seem to question the random name Max asked for and instead just shook his head. 

“It’s time to go home, Max.” Sebastian said softly. Max shook his head.

“No, did not finish my drink.” he slurred, pointing at his empty glass. Sebastian gave him a stern look, bending down and picking up Honey, the pup anxiously licking at Seb’s cheek.

“Then stay here, but I’m taking Honey.” The German spoke sternly. Max hesitated, but then held his arms out to take Honey, his grumpy expression shifted into a melancholic one. 

“Okay.” he told Sebastian softly, holding Honey close to his chest as Sebastian helped him up. Max wobbled a little on his legs but found his balance, smiling as Honey licked at his cheek while Sebastian leaned over the bar to pay for his drinks. 

They were just out the door of the pub when they heard someone calling for them to wait, Marcus jogging over with a napkin in his hand.

“Don’t forget your lyrics.” he told Max gently, handing him the napkin with a kind smile. Max blushed and averted his eyes, hating the way this man had seen him at his lowest. Sebastian gave the barman a tired smile. 

“Thank you.” He muttered, before leading Max towards the car. 

Neither Sebastian or Max spoke as they drove back to the hotel, Max too busy fussing over Honey while Sebastian seemed deep in thought too. 

“Where is Lando?” Max asked in a small voice when they reached the room, the Dutchman sitting on the bed as Seb helped him take off his shoes and coat.

“We’ll talk about that tomorrow.” Sebastian said resolutely, giving Honey some more treats and some water before telling Max to get changed. Max complied meekly, biting his bottom lip to keep it from trembling as he changed into some sleepwear. Sebastian was still frowning as he pulled the blankets up over Max, tucking him in securely. 

“I’m sorry.” Max whispered, averting his eyes. Sebastian sighed, his expression softening.

“I know what happened with Kevin still hurts you a lot.” he said softly. “But lashing out at Lando like that, and then getting drunk…” Sebastian shook his head. Max sniffled.

“He was listening to Charles’s music..” he muttered. “I don’t want to lose someone else to Charles.” He added, fists curling around the edge of the blanket. Sebastian nodded, placing his hand over Max and letting Max clutch on to him.

“I understand. But we both know Charles has gone through a lot. It doesn’t excuse his behaviour, but I don’t think he never wanted to hurt you.” The German spoke. Max wanted to get angry, but deep down he knew Sebastian was right. 

“Where is Lando?” he asked again, after a long moment of silence. Sebastian gave him a small smile, squeezing his hand.

“In his room. He seemed shaken but he’ll be okay. Just apologise to him in the morning.” He told Max, who instantly relaxed. 

“I thought he would leave.” Max muttered. Sebastian shook his head.

“Lando is a lot stronger than he looks.” He answered, bending down to lift up Honey and settling her on the bed, cuddled into Max’s side.

“Do you want me to stay?” Sebastian asked, and Max instantly nodded, eyes blinking sleepily as he waited for Sebastian to get changed, the older man slipping in under the covers and letting Max hug him. Sebastian was the closest thing Max had to a dad, to a family, and it meant everything to him that even now, Seb didn’t desert him. 

Still, Max could not sleep, still thinking about Kevin and Charles, about Marcus, and about the way he had hurt Lando. Not even the way Sebastian gently stroked his hair could lull him to sleep and Max sighed, burying his face in Seb’s chest as he closed his eyes tightly.

“Ssh, Liebling, it’s okay.” Sebastian soothed when Max let out a soft, strangled sound. The German pressed a kiss to Max’s head, arms still curled tightly around Max as he rocked the boy the best he could. 

And then he began to sing.

Max had never heard Seb sing live. He had listened to recordings of songs Sebastian had sung in the past, had watched tapes of the older man’s performances, but it was all old material. While Sebastian used to be a famous country singer, he had given it all away, not wanting the fame that had come with it. 

Sebastian refused to sing now, refused to sing even with Max when Max begged him to.

Until now.

‘ _Der Mond ist aufgegangen, die goldnen Sternlein prangen, am Himmel hell und klar…’_ Sebastian sang softly, his voice a little hoarse. Max briefly found himself offended as the older man continued to sing the German lullaby, but did find himself slowly being lulled to sleep by Sebastian’s soft, soothing voice. _’Seht ihr den Mond dort stehen? Er ist nur halb zu sehen, und ist doch rund und schön. So sind wohl manche Sachen, die wir getrost belachen, Weil unsre Augen sie nicht sehn…’_

By the time Sebastian had finished singing, Max was already fast asleep, one hand curled loosely in the material of Sebastian’s shirt as he snored softly. Sebastian smiled tenderly, pressing a kiss to the top of Max’s head before settling down too.

“Ich liebe dich, Kleine.” Sebastian whispered in a hushed voice, before drifting off and falling asleep as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Find me on tumblr: bwoahtastic
> 
> Kuddos and Comments would be great!! 🥺🥺❤


	3. Wish we could turn back time to the good old days

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very sorry to have skipped last week's upload but i just didn't find the motivation to edit and finish this jsjs. I do very much love this fic and I'm very excited to come with this new chapter!
> 
> Only one song is mentioned in this fic (oops) but the music vibes are still there! And for those asking, yes Marcus will be back in the next chapter!  
> Hope you all enjoy reading <3

"Wake up, Max." Sebastian said softly, shaking the younger man's shoulder. Max grumbled but stirred, opening one eye and finding Sebastian sitting on the edge of the bed.

"What time is it?" Max murmured, stretching out. His head hurt a little, but it wasn’t too bad. He still felt exhausted though, and yawned widely. Sebastian reached out to stroke his hair softly, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Half past 10." He muttered. Max hummed.

"You normally never let me sleep in." He said, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. Sebastian snorted. 

"Poor guy." He said with faked compassion, but then his face softened. "You looked like you needed it." He added more gently. Max sighed.

"I'm sorry." He murmured. Sebastian hummed.

"It's okay." He promised, giving Max a wink before reaching for the cup of coffee on the nightstand.

"Drink up." Seb smiled. Max sat up against the headboard, pulling the covers up around his waist as he yawned, before taking the cup of coffee. Honey, who had been sleeping on the end of the bed, whined happily and shuffled closer, laying down against Max's legs. 

"Morning baby." Max smiled, scratching the pug's ear.

"I already walked her." Sebastian told the younger man, letting Honey lick his hand, whining and ignoring Max completely now.

"You always were her favourite." Max muttered, smiling as Honey rolled onto her back to let the two men pat her belly. 

“Well I did buy her for you, she first lived with me for the two weeks until I could give her to you for your birthday. She clearly never forgot me.” Sebastian chuckled fondly, letting Honey playfully nibble on his fingers. Max smiled softly at the older man.

He really owed everything to him.

“I’m sorry.” he repeated once more. Sebastian sighed.

“It’s okay. I understand. I know how much the situation with Charles and Kevin hurt you.” the German muttered. “Just never run away like that again, I was so worried about you and Honey. You were lucky with that kind barman, but other people might have taken advantage of you.” Sebastian sighed. Max averted his eyes.

“I know.” he mumbled. Sebastian handed something else to Max, a small folded napkin. Max took it from him, not understanding what was going on, before taking in a sharp breath.

“I wrote this yesterday.” he muttered, tracing his fingers over the words he had penned down the night before. Sebastian nodded.

“The barman gave it to you.” he explained, clearly trying to figure out how much Max could remember. Max hummed but kept quiet afterwards, remembering Marcus’s kind blue eyes. 

“I need to go and arrange a car, we have an appointment in a bit.” Sebastian said, getting up from the bed after gently ruffling Max’s hair a little. “I expect you downstairs in the lobby in 30 minutes.” he added more sternly, and Max smiled.

“Yes dad.” he snorted. Sebastian frowned lightly.

“Don’t sass me young man.” Sebastian muttered, but he seemed amused. In the doorway, the older man hesitated. 

“I’m always proud of you, you know that right?” he said gently. Max’s cheeks flushed a light pink, but nodded.

“I know.” he smiled. Sebastian nodded. 

“Good.” he said, before heading out the door. Max sighed and lifted Honey onto his chest, smiling lightly as the little dog instantly rested her head on his shoulder. Max looked at the napkin, tracing the letters again. He unfolded the napkin and gasped lightly when he spotted some text written on the inside.

_’For if you ever need a listening ear. x Marcus’_ was written in a neat handwriting, followed by a phone number. Max bit his lip, trying to suppress a smile. He took out his phone, saving the number in the device and trying to come up with something to send the other man. 

His thought process was interrupted by the door to his hotel room opening once more. 

“Lando…” Max mumbled, eyes widening as he spotted the younger one moving into the room. Lando gave him a rather shy smile, fidgeting with his hands. 

“Hey.” he muttered, looking everywhere but the Dutchman’s face. Max let out a shaky breath, settling Honey on the bed again before getting up. He felt awful seeing Lando so shy and insecure around him, and wanted nothing more than to hug Lando. But he refrained from doing so. 

Instead, he gave Lando a tiny smile stepping closer and trying to catch Lando’s eyes.

“I’m so incredibly sorry, Lando.” Max whispered softly. Lando looked up at him now, blue eyes wide.

“You yelled at me.” he whispered. Max nodded,

“I shouldn’t have.” he said. “I’m so sorry. I just- I was hurt, and I was afraid I would lose you to Charles.” he mumbled.

“I don’t even know Charles.” Lando argued. Max sighed.

“Kevin didn’t know Charles either.” he mumbled. Lando seemed to deflate, all the anger and hesitance that had been in his body leaving abruptly. 

“I’m sorry too, I didn’t mean to upset you. I know Charles is a touchy subject for you.” he muttered. They both settled into silence, before Max shyly opened his arms.

“Can I hug you?” he mumbled. Lando smiled lightly and nodded, moving closer and settling into Max’s arms, his head resting against his shoulder. 

“You’re my best friend, I will try to trust you more from now on.” Max muttered. Lando nodded against his neck, before pushing him away.

“You better get ready, Sebastian said he had a surprise for us.” Lando smiled. Max wrinkled up his nose.

“I don’t generally like his surprises.” he snorted. Lando grinned.

“Oh, but you’ll like this one.” 

~~~~~~

They took a car and drove for almost an hour, leaving the city and driving through what felt the middle of nowhere. It was hot, and Max was grateful for the air conditioning in the car. He sat in the passenger seat with Honey on his lap while Sebastian drove, seeming to know where to go. Lando was sitting in the backseat, in between Pierre and Alex, who were gently teasing him and poking his sides. 

The mood in the car was light hearted, but Max somehow felt nervous. Sebastian had been very secretive about the trip, and Max wasn’t sure what to expect. While he trusted his manager with all that he had, he wasn’t too fond of Seb’s surprises.

They eventually arrived at a tiny farm, Sebastian parking the car and getting out, but telling the others to stay where they were.

“Look! They have sheep!” Lando gasped excitedly, pointing at the wooly animals grazing not too far away from them. Max smiled lightly at the younger’s excitement, before pushing his sunglasses down over his face, waiting impatiently for Sebastian to return. 

When Sebastian returned, he was in the company of a broadly built man wearing shorts, a loose tank top and a straw hat. 

“Why are we meeting with a farmer?” Pierre murmured in confusion, while Lando just smiled, seeming to know what was going on. 

“Must be one of Seb’s masterplans again.” Alex snorted. Sebastian gestured at them to get out of the car, and Max did so reluctantly. It was incredibly hot outside and Max huffed, having to squint his eyes even behind the sunglasses. Honey was already panting next to him and Max worried a little for his precious little pup, who never did too well with warm weather.

“What is going on Seb?” Pierre asked, while Alex held on to Lando’s collar, stopping the little man from wandering off towards the sheep. Lando pouted, glaring up at Alex a little, but then turned back to the stranger with a curious expression on his face.

“I’m Michael.” the man with the straw hat introduced himself, shaking Max’s hand. “I’m Dan Joseph’s manager.” he added, and Max instantly turned to Seb.

“Really?” he snorted. Sebastian grinned.

“Come on, we both knew I wouldn’t be able to resist.” he chuckled. Michael seemed amused by the situation and knelt down to gently greet Honey, the dog excitedly sniffing at his fingers before letting out one of her high pitched barks. 

“I have a bowl of water ready for her.” Michael said, “Daniel said he expected you to bring her.” he added. Max cocked his head to the side.

“He knows I have a dog?” he asked. Alex snorted behind him.

“Everyone knows about Honey, Max. She has a bigger fanbase than you.” he added with a grin. Max flipped him off before turning to Michael again.

“Where is Daniel?” he asked, looking around but not spotting another human anywhere. Michael hummed.

“He wanted to meet alone with you first. The others can come with me, I can show them our recording studio.” Michael explained. “Max, you can go through the door there and into the shed. Daniel has a small venue there.” he explained. Max turned a little more hesitant. He wasn’t too keen on meeting new people, especially not when it came as such a surprise. 

“It will be okay, Max.” Sebastian said gently when he noticed the anxious look on Max’s face. “Take Honey with you.” he added, knowing how Honey calmed Max down. Max nodded, taking a deep breath.

“Okay.” he mumbled. Michael smiled at him, not seeming to judge Max for his reaction.

“Don’t worry mate, Dan is a bit of an annoying dick, but he is a good guy.” he smiled, pointing Max to the right door again. Max sighed.

“Here goes nothing.”

Max headed into the house, calling Honey a few times as the dog excitedly tried to sniff her new surroundings. 

“Hello?” Max called awkwardly, not knowing which of the many doors adjacent to the hall was the right one. He heard some shuffling, and one of the doors opened, a curly haired man poking his head around the doorframe. 

“Hey Max!” the man said with a bright grin, waving him closer. Max stilled, his eyes widening when he recognised the man as the stranger he had met in the elevator the day before. He headed closer, his cheeks flushing a light pink as he was unsure if the man recognized him.

“Nice to see you again.” Daniel said with another grin, shaking Max’s hand. Max gave him a small smile, unsure what to say as he followed the curly haired man through the door.

“Pretty unconventional, all of this.” he muttered, as Daniel led him into a large, open room, with a tiny stage in the back and a seating area closer to them. Daniel nodded.

“I like unconventional.” Daniel said, gesturing for Max to sit down. The Aussie brought over a small bowl of water, setting it down for Honey.

“She really is adorable.” Daniel smiled, tugging the pup’s ear a little. Max smiled.

“She’s the best.” he muttered, holding out his hand and humming proudly as Honey instantly gave him her paw. 

“Did you recognise me, in the elevator yesterday?” Max asked. Daniel nodded,

“Yeah. Sebastian had called me before that, so I knew you were coming today as well. But since you clearly didn’t know who I was, I thought it was better not to explain.” Daniel chuckled. Max huffed, but relaxed a bit more.

There was no denying the man’s presence was more than a little calming.

“I do know your music.” Max said. “My friend let me listen to it in the plane. I loved it.” he said. Daniel’s smile, if possible, seemed to widen even more.

“Thanks mate!” he grinned. “I know your stuff too, you bring out some real bangers.” he answered. 

“Cheers.” Max answered a little shyly. Daniel hummed, reaching for one of the guitars behind him.

“I thought that before we let our manager figure out the business side of things, we could jam a little bit. Just to see if this would even work, you know?” Daniel explained, strumming the strings a little. Max nodded.

“Fair enough.” he mumbled, unsure what to expect. Daniel smirked at him, and then started to play.

And to Max’s surprise, Daniel played one of Max’s songs.

_I wish I found some better sounds, no one's ever heard. I wish I had a better voice, that sang some better words…_ Daniel started to sing. Max had never sung Stressed Out in this acoustic way, but he smiled, instinctively knowing what Dan was looking for. 

_’Wish we could turn back time, to the good old days. When our momma sang us to sleep but now we're stressed out…_ Max and Daniel sang together. 

Max felt free, singing with Daniel. Their voices fit together like pieces of a puzzle, and the switch from singing individually to singing together came naturally. It was still Max’s song, still his lyrics and the vibe he had meant with it. But Daniel’s style was now tightly intertwined with his, making the song softer, more relaxed.

It was perfect.

Max was breathless once the last note faded away. He hadn’t realised he was looking Daniel straight into the eye until the Aussie sat back, giving him another, although softer, grin. 

“That was-” 

“I’m-” they spoke at the same time. Daniel chuckled.

“You go first.” he smiled. Max sighed.

“I never… I didn’t expect this to work so well.” he mumbled. Daniel nodded.

“Me neither.” he answered softly. They sat staring at each other for a moment, Daniel watching Max curiously as the Dutchman struggled a little to decide how he felt. 

“How is it going?” Sebastian asked, heading into the room and breaking the moment.

“Pretty damn good. You were right to want to set this up.” Daniel told Sebastian. Seb grinned, looking at Max. Max sighed.

“You were right.” he grumbled a little reluctantly. Sebastian smirked, but decided not to tease Max any further.

“You want the rest of the band in here too?” he asked. Dan nodded.

“That’d be great.” he smiled. 

Pierre and Alex were in awe of the venue and the many instruments available, and Max watched on in amusement as Pierre instantly rushed to the drums, playing a beat. Alex came to stand behind Pierre, pressing a soft kiss to the man’s head before watching him play in silence. 

Lando came over to Max, his cheeks a deep red as he looked at Daniel. The younger man tugged on Max’s sleeve a little, giving Max a rather urgent look, and Max smiled in amusement.

“This is Lando, he is quite the fan of your music.” Max chuckled. Daniel beamed widely, shaking Lando’s hand.

“Nice to meet you, kid.” he said with a friendly smile. Lando’s blush only deepened, and he quickly stepped behind Max to hide himself. 

“Lando helps me write most of my songs.” Max said. “He is the more talented musician between the two of us.” he added for good measure, trying not to be too amused as Lando let out a surprised squeak in answer.

“I heard one of your songs, your voice is amazing.” Daniel praised Lando gently. Lando let out a deep breath, seeming to finally relax. Daniel glanced over to Max, the two sharing another look before Daniel turned to look at the others.

“Come on, let’s play some more.”

~~~~~~

“It was nice to meet you, mate. Hope to see you again soon.” Daniel smiled as the group made their way to the car after a long morning of singing and playing. Pierre and Alex were already in the car, while Michael took Lando over to finally look at the sheep more closely.

“It was nice to meet you too.” Max answered a bit awkwardly, before letting out a soft, surprised huff as Daniel leaned in to hug him. Daniel smelled nice, like mint and spices, and Max’s lips quirked up into a smile when he felt the Aussie’s curls tickle his head. The hug lasted longer than probably necessary, but neither Max or Daniel minded. 

“Give me your phone, I’ll give you my number, yeah?” Daniel said as he pulled away. Max nodded, the two of them exchanging devices to put their numbers in. Honey barked at Max’s feet and Daniel grinned, kneeling down.

“Of course I won’t forget saying goodbye to you.” he cooed, letting Honey lick at his face. 

“She likes you.” Max chuckled, whistling softly to make Honey calm down a bit more. 

“I’m easy to like.” Daniel teased with a wink. Max couldn’t help but smile, before reluctantly moving to the car and sitting down in the passenger seat. Sebastian gave him a knowing look as Max closed the door, the German starting the car. 

“What?” Max huffed. Sebastian chuckled.

“Nothing.” he muttered, before reversing the car out of the parking spot. 

As they drove away from the farm, Max turned to look in the mirror, seeing Dan and Michael still outside. Daniel gave them a small wave and Max sighed, strangely enough feeling as if he was leaving something behind.

His eyes stayed trained on the mirror, trained on Daniel, until they turned the corner and Max lost sight of him.

~~~~~~

“You two seemed to get along really well.” Lando said as he sat cross legged on the end of Max’s bed, the two of them sharing some room service as they dicussed the day.

“Dan is a nice guy.” Max said with a shrug, glaring as Lando snorted. 

“Dude, I’ve never seen you look at someone like that.” the younger remarked. “I think you have a crush.” he added, wiggling his eyebrows. Max rolled his eyes.

“I barely know him. And I do not!” he grumbled, popping another fry into his mouth. Lando didn’t lose the smug look on his face, but then suddenly turned more apprehensive.

“Max, I have to tell you something, but I’m afraid you’ll get angry.” he murmured. Max stopped eating, tensing up.

“What is it?” he asked. Lando nervously bit on his nails. 

“The reason I was listening to RUSH! was that Charles asked me to work with him on a song.” Lando whispered, bracing himself for Max’s reaction. Max sat very still. His first reaction was to get angry, like the day before, but he knew that was unfair.

“Do you want to take the offer?” he asked eventually. Lando nibbled his lip.

“He wants me to sing with him, it could really help my career.” Lando whispered. “But I’d never do it if it would hurt our friendship.” he added quickly. Max gave him a small smile.

“Nothing could ever hurt our friendship.” he whispered. Lando sighed, a relieved smile curling over his lips before he quickly crawled closer, hugging Max tightly. 

“You’re the best, Max.” Lando murmured. Max smiled.

“Just watch out, yeah?” Max whispered. “He might mean well, but the moment something happens with Charles you get out of there. Okay?” he said, sternly looking Lando in the eye. Lando sighed, but then nodded.

“I’ll watch out.” he promised. Max nodded, pressing a kiss to Lando’s forehead.

“Good.”

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr: bwoahtastic
> 
> I'd love to know what you all think! Next update will be next Thursday :3
> 
> And out of curiosity- who's your fav character?


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